Analysing your skills as a construction manager

If you’re in a construction management position, you’re probably busy concerning yourself with the performance of your workers and the success of your current project over your own progress.

But growing as a manager is critical to your career development.

Today we look at what’s it like to be a construction manager, and whether or not you are asking yourself the right questions about your practices, as well as how you can improve.

Look at how you analyse your workers progress

Measurements for success are paramount when it comes to management, and can differ from role to role. To be an effective manager, you need to consider your own methods of operation, and scrutinise where necessary. Take an appraisal for example, are you asking your workers the right questions? Are you giving them enough encouragement? Are you speaking fairly? You must ask yourself these questions when appraisal time comes around, and will help you form a contingency plan for each of your workers whilst inspiring reliability and consistency.

Do you communicate clearly and often enough?

As a manager, being proactive should always be at the forefront of every task that you undergo. When it comes to managing your workers, you should consider adapting a similar approach by communicating regularly with them about their performance, as well as encouraging and nurturing them – don’t solely save this for your appraisals with them.

So the next time you feel you should give some guidance, but think about putting it off to a later date, then consider taking a more upfront and proactive approach by clearly communicating with your worker then and there.

Get inspiration from other leaders

If you’re looking for methods and techniques to become a better leader, you should look at the leading figures in current society who are pioneering management. Think of the people that you often admire i.e political figures, heads of businesses, and even other construction managers that you know, thinking about their approach when it comes to managing their workers. Think about why you hold admiration for them, and why it is that they’re successful in what they do.

Is your direction clear?

As a construction manager you are responsible for understanding the vision of the project as it gets handed down to you. From here you need to direct your workers accordingly, imparting the vision as you’ve interpreted it onto them. It is vital that this information is conveyed clearly and cohesively so that the project retains integrity. So ask yourself the question, are your workers clued onto the projects vision? If no, then perhaps you need to bring greater clarity to your day-to-day direction.